Catch another dream now
by thegirl20
Summary: Jill is basically a saint. (Lindsay/Cindy)


_I am a fucking saint._

Not words that ran through Jill Bernhardt's mind often. But right at that moment, they felt like the absolute truth. She was armed and ready for a fight. With one deep, fortifying breath, she pressed the doorbell. As expected, she heard a string of muttered curse words and a bang.

"You…uh…you're really early!" Jill smiled; the smokey voice was a little higher pitched than usual as it floated through the wooden door. "I'm not dressed!"

"Yeah, well, I've had the displeasure of seeing you naked before, I'm sure I can stomach it again."

The door was thrown open and Jill was met with a very unamused Lindsay Boxer, trying to hold a robe closed.

"What are _you_ doing here?"

"Great to see you too, Linds." Jill didn't wait for an invitation and simply breezed past Lindsay into the apartment, stooping to greet an excited Martha. "Hey girl, aren't you looking gorgeous?"

The door closed and Jill bit her lip, trying not to smile at the irritation rolling off Lindsay.

"I mean it, Jill. What are you doing here? You know I'm going out tonight."

Jill rubbed Martha's ears for a few more seconds, just to annoy Lindsay further, then stood to face her friend.

"Yeah, about that…" Jill tapped her chin in obviously fake consideration. "Cindy called me and said that you thought you might be coming down with something. Which is kinda weird because I spent all morning with you and you were pretty much the picture of health." She dropped her purse onto Lindsay's coffee table as she took a seat on the couch, looking up at Lindsay.

"Yeah, well…it's not…it came over me all of a sudden this afternoon." Lindsay coughed, weakly, and put a hand on her chest.

Jill delved into her purse and emerged with a box. "I stopped by the drug store and brought you some cough syrup. It's best to catch these things early." She smiled, the picture of innocence. "Can't have you sick for your date."

Lindsay's eyes narrowed a fraction, but her hand moved from her chest to her abdomen. "See…it's not so much a cough as a stomach-ache."

While Lindsay was talking, Jill was rummaging around in her purse again and this time brought out a lurid pink bottle. "That'll be those two cheeseburgers you ate at lunch. Some Pepto will fix you right up." She placed it on the table alongside the cough syrup. She leaned her elbows on her knees and waited. Lindsay's hand went to her forehead and Jill didn't even wait for the words this time, silently reaching into her bag again. She rattled a bottle of pills at Lindsay. "Headache, Linds? Advil." The little white bottle joined the others.

Scowling, Lindsay finally dropped onto the couch beside Jill. "Did you buy the _entire_ drug store?"

"That depends. How many more fake ailments do you have?" Jill prodded Lindsay in the ribs.

Letting her head fall to the back of the couch, Lindsay sighed. "What the hell am I doing?"

Jill hid a smile and copied Lindsay's posture; both of them staring at the ceiling. "You are going on a date, Lindsay. Not entering the state of holy matrimony. Not pledging your undying love. You're going on a little date."

"With Cindy."

"With Cindy," Jill confirmed with a nod. Silence stretched between them for a while but Jill knew not to push Lindsay too far.

"I should cancel."

Jill rolled her eyes. "No, you shouldn't."

"I should. I'm a police officer, she's a reporter. It's unethical."

"Why is it more unethical than being her friend?"

"It just…is."

"That's not a reason. Next."

Lindsay tilted her head to look at Jill. "Next what?"

"Next completely ridiculous argument that you're going to put forward that I'm going to have to disprove."

Lips set in a firm line, Lindsay huffed and went back to looking at the ceiling.

"Remind me the next time I pick a best friend to _not_ choose a lawyer."

"Pfffft, yeah, like you're getting rid of me any time soon." Jill put a hand on Lindsay's knee and pushed herself to her feet. She headed to Lindsay's bedroom.

"Now what are you doing?"

Jill was already going through the contents of the wardrobe. "I'm going to pick you out something to wear so that you can't claim that you don't have an outfit."

She was laying out a pair of jeans and a shirt on the bed when Lindsay finally dragged herself into the room.

"That looks like what I wear to work. Shouldn't I wear a dress or something?"

Jill quirked an eyebrow at her. "You can wear a dress if you wanna wear a dress. I figured, as you're going to a bar for a couple of drinks, you might feel more comfortable like this."

A one shouldered shrug was her only answer. Jill sighed. "Look, Lindsay, it's your call. There's a black dress in their that looks _amazing_ on you." She pointed to the outfit laid out on the bed. "But those jeans with some heeled boots will show off your ass and that shirt with three buttons undone will give her a view of your rack that she'll never forget." She held her hands out. "So, which is it to be?"

Lindsay coughed and blushed and pulled her robe tighter around her. Jill bit her lip and stepped closer to her.

"Honey, she likes how you look at work. She likes how you look, period. She likes _you_. So you pick the clothes that you wanna wear."

"Fine. The jeans." Lindsay looked pointedly at her. "You gonna dress me too?"

A sculpted eyebrow crept up Jill's forehead. "Do you need me to?"

Rolling her eyes, Lindsay couldn't quite manage to keep the smirk off her face. "Remind me again why I'm friends with you."

"Who else would buy a whole Walgreens for you and then pick out clothes to get you laid? Face it, Linds, I'm awesome."

Grabbing Jill's elbow, Lindsay propelled her out of the room. "Get out of here."

With a wry grin tugging at her lips, Jill headed to the kitchen, where she proceeded to pour two glasses of bourbon from Lindsay's bottle. She carried them back to the couch, setting one on the coffee table and taking a sip from the other. She had almost finished the glass by the time Lindsay eventually emerged. Jill let out a low whistle.

"Jesus, Boxer. You look so hot, you'll melt the panties right off her."

Lindsay rolled her eyes and picked up her own glass, tipping her head to throw the drink back. Jill took a moment to appraise her. It was no lie; Lindsay Boxer was a stunning woman. Back when they'd first met, Jill had briefly entertained the notion that they might have a thing. But it wasn't to be. They were friends, and Jill wouldn't risk that for anything.

"Is she too young for me?"

"God, I thought once I got you dressed we wouldn't still be doing this."

Lindsay sat down beside her. "Seriously though, how old _is_ she? Has anyone checked her ID? How do we know that she's even old enough to drink alcohol?"

This was getting ridiculous. "Linds, I know I kid around with her, but I doubt that she is _actually_ twelve. She's been to college and she's worked her way up at a paper…I'm pretty sure she's legal."

"What if it doesn't work? What if it's weird and awkward tonight?" Lindsay was wringing her hands together now. "What if I have to work with her after an awful date?"

"God, you work with your ex-_husband_ and you're worried about a silly bad date?" The panic on Lindsay's face indicated that wasn't the correct response. "Linds, stop creating problems. If it doesn't go well, you laugh it off and go back to being friends. If that's too awkward, we'll just stop inviting her places. She hasn't been around that long, we wouldn't miss her that much."

Her tone made it clear she was kidding and Lindsay shoved her arm, but she was smiling. She sighed.

"Why are you so keen for me to go on this date?"

Jill turned so that she was facing Lindsay. "Why did you agree to go on the date?"

"Why are you answering my question with a question?"

Piercing blue eyes never wavered from Lindsay's gaze. "Answer mine and then I'll answer yours."

"Because…because I…" Lindsay swallowed, as if to clear the blockage in her throat that was preventing the words from coming out. "…like…her."

Covering Lindsay's hand with her own, Jill grinned. "I know you do. And I love you and I want you to be happy, so that's why I want you to do this."

Lindsay squeezed Jill's fingers. "So, when she called you, did she think I didn't want to go?"

"I think she was pretty sure you were gonna cancel, yeah." Jill nodded. "Which you were."

"Which I _might_ have done. I don't know."

"Uh huh. Anyway, she sounded all dejected and I could just picture her little face…like a little sad puppy." Jill attempted to make the face she was describing. "So I knew I had to get over here and kick your ass."

A moment's silence.

"Thank you… for…kicking my ass."

Jill smiled. "You're welcome." With a final squeeze to Lindsay's hand, she stood and picked up her purse. "I should go. It wouldn't be right for you to have another woman here when she comes to pick you up."

Lindsay trailed her to the door and caught her wrist just before she opened it. She turned back to her.

"I _do_ think you're awesome." There was no hint of humour on Lindsay's face. "You know that, right?"

The little part of Jill that never felt that she was enough, that never felt she was worthy of love, protested. But the bigger part, the part that was Deputy District Attorney Jill Bernhardt; Lindsay Boxer's best friend, took the compliment.

"Of course I do." She leaned in and brushed a kiss against Lindsay's cheek, swiping at the slight lipstick mark she left behind with her thumb. "Now, you have fun tonight on your date. I want all the gory details tomorrow."

"'Cause you know how I love to kiss and tell."

Jill's grin was gleeful. "Oh, so there _will_ be kissing?"

"Go now. Leave. Get out." Lindsay shoved her onto the porch and Jill's laughter continued all the way down the walk. She pulled out her cell-phone and blew Lindsay a kiss over her shoulder as she unlocked her car.

"Hey Jill." Cindy still sounded less than her usual exuberant self.

"Hey Cindy Lou Who!" She got into the car and closed the door. "So, I just wanted to tell you to have fun on your date. I can personally confirm that Inspector Boxer is looking smokin' this evening."

There was a brief pause. "So…she's not cancelling?"

The hope in Cindy's voice almost broke Jill's heart. "Not cancelling. You can thank me later." She started the car. "So, I gotta go, but enjoy, and don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"That leaves me a lot of scope, Jill."

"Bitch!" The word was softened by laughter. "And after what I just went through for you!"

"Thank you, Jill, I mean it."

"You're welcome, kiddo. Just treat her right and we'll all be happy."

"I will."

"I know. G'night, Cindy."

She hung up the phone and pulled into the road.

_Oh yeah, a fucking saint._


End file.
